This invention relates to a unisexually configured urinal attachment for either conventional or specially configured toilet bowls, and, more particularly, a urinal attachment which is intended to utilize a separate flushing water supply, and which utilizes the drain facilities associated with the conventional toilet presently common to residential and other installations.
As is well known, the normal toilet bowl can be utilized by either sex for urinary purposes, although, particularly for adult male individuals, while in a standing position, some degree of unsuitability arises from splashing, and for objectionable cascading noise. Further, it is well known that the flushing of the standard toilet bowl after a single urinary use constitutes a significant waste of fresh water. Even incorporation of currently available water conservation devices and techniques does not appreciably reduce the fresh water wastage, since they must provide sufficient flow to dispose of solid wastes.
Prior efforts to alleviate the problem of water wastage are found in prior art. Most notable are the U.S. Pat. Nos. held by T. T. Kubit (3,336,602), John H. Michal, Jr. (3,412,408), and Wayne Kapit (3,964,110). The present invention differs significantly from these in the method of utilization, the manner of attachment to the conventional toilet, and in the technique of flushing water management.
The earliest of the cited U.S. Pat. No. 3,336,602 (Kubit) is based upon a specially constructed toilet assembly requiring a dual flush mechanism as part of the tank assembly and a costly bowl configuration. By its design it does not appear to alleviate the above-mentioned unsuitabilities for use by standing male individuals.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,412,408 (Michal) provides a partial solution to the unsuitabilities mentioned above in that the urination process occurs into the duct member which is then flushed into the standard toilet bowl by diverting a portion of the water filling the tank after a normal flushing operation to a holding reservoir within the duct. However, this system still requires periodic normal flushing of the toilet for its operation, which operation is not required by the present invention.
The Portable Unisex Urinal of U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,110 (Kapit) does not require a standard toilet installation for its use. It does, however, produce several inconveniences not present in the present invention in that its use is inconvenienced by the mounting method on the bathtub rim. Depending upon the plumbing installations available within a given residence, such attachment may not be feasible. This device further requires manual filling of its flushing reservoir tank.